Board stack lifter and feeding device for a bottom board of such stack



Sept. 12, 1967 w. A. HUNTER 3,341,033

BOARD STACK LIFTER AND FEEDING DEVICE I I FOR A BOTTOM BOARD OF SUCH STACK Original Filed Nov. 16, 1964 FIG-.1

STATION I STATION I[ FIG 2 A INVENTOR WILLIAM ALLAN HUNTER BY T ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,341,033 Patented Sept. 12, 1967 ship Original application Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,538. Divided and this application June 15, 1966, Ser. No. 557,763

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-85) A board stack lifter for lifting all but the bottom board of the stack by rock arms adapted to engage frictionally the opposed edges of a board situate just above the bottom board of the stack, and by fluid pressure means acting between the rock arms to cause the latter to strain and rock sufliciently to cause the frictionally engaged board with the boards superimposed thereon to lift the boards but one If said stack, and to free the bottom board from said stac This application is a division of Hunter application Ser. No. 411,538, filed Nov. 16, 1964 for Automatic Matchplate Moulding Machine.

The structure according to the present invention, while not so limited, finds application in the environment of an automatic matchplate moulding machine, where the bottom board of a stack is fed to a position covering an invergad flask after the same has been filled with moulding san While structures have been provided for feeding a board from the bottom of a stack thereof, the friction induced by the board load has made it diflicult readily to move the bottornmost board from the stack. According to the present invention all but the bottom board of a stack thereof are lifted a very slight amount to remove the friction load imposed by the weight of the stack, and while the stack is so lifted the bottom board is readily moved by a shuttle to a delivery position. The shuttle is then returned, and the stack lowered for repeated cycles of operations as described.

With the foregoing considerations in min-d it is a principal object of this invention to provide structure for holding a stack of boards and to enable the bottom-most board of such stack to be moved free from friction of the overlying boards.

Another object is to provide structure for lifting all but the bottom board of a stack thereof a slight amount to enable the bottom board to be moved to a delivery station without the friction load of the stack being imposed thereon during such movement.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification following taken with the drawmg which together describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and what is now considered to be the best mode of practicing the principles of the inventron. Other embodiments may be suggested to those havmg the benefit of the teachings herein, and such other embodiments are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the purview of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing an automatic matchplate moulding machine having the improved board stack lifter and feeding device for a bottom board thereof;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the board stack lifter looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a detailed end view of one of the lifting members for the board stack, showing the deformation taken thereby in lifting that part of the stack immediately above the bottornmost board thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, the improved board stack lifter and feeding device according to the present invention is denoted by the reference numeral 10. It is particularly adapted for use with an automatic matchplate moulding machine seen in FIG. 1 and denoted by the reference numeral 15. 1

By way of environment for use of the improved structure according to the present invention, the same is incorporated in the moulding machine 15, the latter consisting of a base frame 16 supporting a stage 17 for a ram device 18. Corner frame members 19 extend upward from the stage 18, and the base 16 also forms a support for an oil reservoir 21 containing a supply of hydraulic oil for operation of various hydraulic motors for operation of the machine 15. A pair of vertical members 20, 20 flank the oil reservoir 21, and extend upward from the base 16. The upper ends of the corner frame members 19 and the vertical members 20 have Z-shaped upper frame members 23 secured thereto. The vertical frame members 20 also provide a support for a cabinet 24 having a closure 26, the cabinet 24 enclosing various control mechanisms merely incidental to the operation of machine 15.

The matchplate moulding machine 15 can be considered as having a first moulding station denoted Station I for filling a drag flask 27, and a second moulding station denoted Station II for receiving the filled drag flask from Station I, filling a cope flask 28 thereat, placing pressure against the filled drag and cope flasks, subsequently separating the filled drag flask from the filled cope flask, separating the drag flask from the drag mould, and finally lightly engaging the drag mould against the cope mould While the same is released from the cope flask 28 to provide a finished mould at Station II.

The inverted drag flask 27 is located at Station I and has a matchplate 29 secured thereto in any convenient fashion. Matchplate 29 is provided with pattern halves P and P and drag flask 27 is arranged to be held in a yoke 30 embracing the sides of the drag flask 27. In FIG. 1 the drag flask is shown in its inverted position, and is adapted to rest in inverted position upon the yoke 30 As seen in FIG. 1, a charge of moulding sand is dropped by gravity from the metering hopper 37 into the chute 34 surmounting the drag flask 27, to fill the same. Suitable vibrating means, not shown, is provided for vibrating the drag flask 27 to insure good compaction of the sand aaginst pattern P Structure is provided for striking off the inverted drag flask 27 after it is filled with sand, and for subsequently erecting the drag flask 27 and rotating the yoke 39. To this end a slot 38 is provided in the yoke 30 for the passage of a bottom board BB. A hopper 39 is provided for a stack S of said boards, and structure is provided for advancing the bottornmost board BB from the stack S thereof while lifting that portion of stacks immediately above the bottom board BB a slight distance thereabove, so that bottom board BB may move with minimum friction.

As seen particularly in FIG. 2 the bottornmost board- BB is adapted to rest upon spaced rollers 41 supported on idler shafts 42 supported at their ends in spaced frame members 43. Structure is provided for lifting a slight amount all but the bottornmost board BB, so that the same can be advanced with a minimum of eflort into position over the filled and inverted drag flask 27 at the same time striking off any excess sand therein. To this end, the sides of the hopper 39 have feet 44 extending therefrom supporting brackets 46 having rock arms 47 fast to shafts 48, each journaled at each end in the bracket 46. Each rock arm 47 is normally biased in the directions seen in-FIG. 2 normally tending to release engagement with the boards in hopper 39. Such bias is accomplished by a spring 49 guided on long cap screws 51 tapped into the sides of the hopper 39 and constrained between an abutment 52 and the head of each cap screw 51. An expansible fluid motor 53 is mounted between the upper ends of the rock arms 47, being pivotally connected therebetween at 54 and 55.

Each of the rock arms 47 has a board engaging finger 56 adapted to engage the next one to the bottommost board upon expansion of fluid motor 53. Upon extra force from the fluid motor 53 the parts are strained slightly as seen in FIG. 3 in the dotted outline, to provide an additional rocking effect to the board engaging fingers 56. to lift the entire stack S, except for the bottommost board BB..

Structure is provided for advancing the bottommost board BB into position atop the inverted and filled drag flask 27 after the stack S has been lifted slightly therefrom as just described, and consists of a slide 57 supported on the rollers 41 and moved by rock arms 58 and 59 fast on a stub shaft 61 supported on an abutment 62. The free end of rock arm 58 is guided Within a yoke 63 at the end of slide 57, and the slide 57 is moved to a position to push bottom board BB into the slot 38 atop the inverted flask 27 by means of a fluid motor 64 pivoted at 66 to the underside of a table 67. Fluid motor 64 is pivoted at 68 to the free end of rock arm 59.

In so moving to the position atop the inverted flask 27 bottom board BB has the function of striking off the excess of moulding sand from the flask 27 whereupon bottom board BB is in position to be clamped thereto. After such clamping of bottom board BB to inverted flask 27, the latter is rotated through 180 and advanced to Station II atop the ram 18.

When the filled drag flask 37 is in position atop the ram 18, the pattern P is now uppermost, and the filled drag flask 27 is adapted to be moved into a position of register with the cope flask 28 with the pattern P extending therewithin. The ram 18 is arranged to 'move the filled drag flask to such position whereupon the drag flask will receive a supply of moulding sand.

The steps of filling the cope mould 28, withdrawing the filled drag mould and flask therefrom, removing the drag flask from the drag mould, lightly engaging the drag mold with the cope mould while the latter is released from the cope flask are best shown with reference to aforesaid Hunter application and Hunter application Ser. No. 557,720, filed June 15, 1966, for Foundry Flask, which latter application is a division of Hunter Ser. No. 411,538.

Having thus described this invention in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it ertains to make and use the same, and having set forth the best mode contemplated of carrying out this invention, being patentable is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in what is claimed, it being understood that equivalents or modifications of, or substitutions for, parts of the above specifically described embodiment may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in what is claimed.

I claim:

1. In a device for lifting the boards of a stack but one lying at the bottom of said stack, means for supporting said stack, finger means mounted to each side of said stack adapted to engage frictionally the edge of a board situate just above the bottom board of said stack,

the subject matter regarded as fluid motor means acting between said finger means to cause said finger means to move into frictional engagement with the sides of the aforesaid board, said fluid motor means being subject to additional fluid pressure to strain and thus flex said finger means to increase the frictionalengagement of said finger means with the edges of said board and to cause the frictionally engaged board with the boards superimposed thereon to lift the boards of said stack but one and to free the bottom board from said stack.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said means are normally biased to a position where said engaging fingers are out of engagement with said boards.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for moving said bottom board from underneath said lifted stack.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said bottom board moving means is a shuttle movable in the plane of said bottom board.

5. The invention according to claim 1 where said first named means includes a rock arm on each side of said stack.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein each of said rock arms is provided with a finger at the end thereof adapted to engage the edge of a board situate just above the bottom board of said stack.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said first named means cooperates with spring means to release said means upon release of pressure in said fluid pressure means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 730,920 6/1903 Joecken 2148.5 2,508,191 5/1950 Raggi 221251 X 2,553,683 5/1951 Smith 214- X 3,040,911 6 /1962 Turner 2148.5 3,139,993 7/1964 Lauer 214-85 3,245,557 4/1966 Maramonte et a1. 2148.5 X

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Examiner.

J. E. OLDS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR LIFTING THE BOARDS OF A STACK BUT ONE LYING AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID STACK, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID STACK, FINGER MEANS MOUNTED TO EACH SIDE OF SAID STACK ADAPTED TO ENGAGE FRICTIONALLY THE EDGE OF A BOARD SITUATE JUST ABOVE THE BOTTOM BOARD OF SAID STACK, FLUID MOTOR MEANS ACTING BETWEEN SAID FINGER MEANS TO CAUSE SAID FINGER MEANS TO MOVE INTO FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDES OF THE AFORESAID BOARD, SAID FLUID MOTOR MEANS BEING SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL FLUID PRESSURE TO STRAIN AND THUS FLEX SAID FINGER MEANS TO INCREASE THE FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FINGER MEANS WITH THE EDGES OF SAID BOARD AND TO CAUSE THE FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED BOARD WITH THE BOARDS SUPERIMPOSED THEREON TO LIFT THE BOARDS OF SAID STACK BUT ONE END AND TO FREE THE BOTTOM BOARD FROM SAID STACK. 